All Articles: NBA Live 18

EA Sports might discontinue yearly releases of Madden and FIFA

Posted on November 9, 2017 by John Scalzo

EA Sports has a particular way of doing things, and sticking to an annual release schedule for their games lineup is a big one. For decades, a new Madden appears on store shelves every August. It’s followed by updated NHL and FIFA games a month later, and the latest NBA Live (when it’s not on the bench) typically launches in October. But things might be changing for the venerable publisher.

Speaking to Bloomberg, CEO Andrew Wilson said that EA Sports might discontinue yearly releases and switch to offering downloadable expansions or subscriptions instead:

“There’s a few different things that have got to happen first. We do a lot in a FIFA game every year, and a lot in a Madden game. There’s a lot of code that we make available as part of the new iteration. But when we look at what we do in Korea or China, we don’t do it that way. There, every four years we release a new big code drop, and we offer incremental change over time.”

Wilson didn’t lay out a road map for how this change might be implemented, but I’m sure many sports fans would be interested in purchasing a full-priced game once and adding to it with roster updates and Story Mode expansions in future seasons.

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Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, NBA Live 18, NHL 18, more added to Xbox Store

Posted on September 15, 2017 by John Scalzo

We’re getting ready for the weekend, and Microsoft has delivered their weekly Friday update to the Xbox Games Store.

Today, Xbox One owners will be able to download Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, Bethesda’s stealthy spinoff; NBA Live 18, EA Sports’s first attempt at a basketball simulation in a few years; and NHL 18, the developer’s newest hockey simulation.

You can learn more about all of today’s additions to the Xbox Games Store after the break. (more…)

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New Retail Releases: Metroid Samus Returns, Dishonored Death of the Outsider, NHL 18, NBA Live 18, NBA 2K18, More

Posted on September 11, 2017 by John Scalzo

Are you ready for some… video games? September is here, and so is the Fall gaming rush. Here’s what game publishers have lined up for release this week…

New entries in a big batch of sports franchises lead the way. EA Sports and 2K Games will square off on the basketball court with NBA Live 18 (PS4, Xbox One) and NBA 2K18: Early Tip-Off Edition (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One). Elsewhere on retail shelves this week, Konami goes for the goal with Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One), EA Sports comes around again with NHL 18 (PS4, Xbox One), and the checkered flag goes to NASCAR Heat 2 (PS4, Xbox One).

Samus Aran isn’t a sports star, but she can contort herself into a tight ball. The intergalactic bounty hunter will have to employ that trick, and many more, to defeat the Metroid menace in Metroid: Samus Returns. Originally released as Metroid II: Return of Samus for the Game Boy, this 3DS re-release boasts a beautiful new art style and revamped combat options.

Speaking of combat, Bethesda and Arkane return with another chapter in the Dishonored saga this week. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider (PC, PS4, Xbox One) introduces players to a new protagonist, and asks them to kill a god. A big adventure also awaits players who take on NIS America’s Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, which will be available this week for the PS4 and Vita.

Finally this week, things take a turn to 2D with Ubisoft’s launch of Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition for the Switch.

A complete list of this week’s new retail releases can be found after the break. (more…)

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NBA Live 18 will be available September 15 with James Harden on the cover

Posted on August 13, 2017 by John Scalzo

EA Sports has announced that its bringing James Harden’s fantastic facial hair to store shelves and the cover athlete for NBA Live 18. Houston’s superstar shooter will help promote the game, which will be available for the PS4 and Xbox One on September 15.

“When I heard about working with EA Sports and being the cover athlete of NBA Live 18, I was pretty excited for the opportunity,” said Harden. “NBA Live 18 is all about creating your own identity and making your mark on the league, and I can definitely relate to that. If anybody knows about creativity, it’s me.”

Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus subscribers who want to try out NBA Live 18 before its released will get the chance with a special demo now available to download through each system’s digital storefront. The demo will feature a prologue to the game’s story mode, and any progress made will carry over to the full game:

In the NBA Live 18 free demo, players will experience The Rise, the prologue section of The One – an all-new way to pursue your legacy, centered on the player and defined by your choices. Progress made in The One during the free demo can be carried over into the full game, so players jumping in early can continue their experience when the full game launches.

Players in the free demo will also be treated to specially-timed Live Events – limited-time activities with special rules, rewards and characters, only available in The One. Rewards earned in weekly Live Events will also carry over into the full game, giving players reason to regularly come back and check out the new events in order to earn new rewards. The free demo rounds out with a Play Now experience between the NBA Finals rivals Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.

Finally, EA Sports is offering a huge discount to anyone who pre-orders NBA Live 18 from Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, Toys R US, or Walmart, as well as digitally through the PlayStation Store or Xbox Games Store. Everyone who’s willing to take a chance on EA’s first basketball simulation since 2015’s NBA Live 16 before its released will be able to purchase it for just $39.99.

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NBA Live 18 will include WNBA players in WNBA Play Now mode

Posted on August 5, 2017 by John Scalzo

EA Sports has announced they’re following up the inclusion of women’s national teams in FIFA 16 with the addition of WNBA teams and players in this Fall’s NBA Live 18.

This is the first time that WNBA players and teams will be included in a video game, and WNBA matchups will be available through the WNBA Play Now mode. EA Sports is looking to recreate the league’s signature style, and they’ve promised that “player skills have been specifically balanced to reflect the unique playstyle of the league.” The publisher also “fine-tuned player ratings” to ensure the most authentic recreation of the players is included in NBA Live 18.

“We are extremely proud to partner with the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association on this groundbreaking occasion,” said Sean O’Brien, the Executive Producer of NBA Live 18. “The WNBA is home to some of the most incredible athletes on the planet, and we’ve been working hard to integrate them into our game in an authentic and meaningful way. This is only a taste of what we have in store, and look forward to working with the league on more great integrations in the franchise in the future.”

EA Sports recruited several WNBA players, including Kelsey Plum, the first overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft, to provide motion capture for the WNBA Play Now mode.

NBA Live 18 will be available for the PS4 and Xbox One this September.

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Go from The Streets to The League in NBA Live 18’s Career Mode

Posted on June 10, 2017 by John Scalzo

EA Sports is ready for the NBA Live franchise to deliver another full court press, as the publisher used their EA Play event to unveil NBA Live 18 ahead of this year’s E3 Expo.

The centerpiece of NBA Live 18 is a retooled Career Mode known as “The One,” which lets players fight for playing time and prestige in pickup games and the NBA:

Your path is defined by the choices you make with the freedom to play how you want, with whom you want, and where the respect you earn in The Streets matters just as much as the rings you earn in The League.

Instantly play in real-time, uniquely crafted Live Events offering new challenges and rewards all year long within Solo, Co-op, and Multiplayer.

This brief introduction is just the beginning, EA Sports will bring “The One” to fans this August with a special NBA Live 18 demo that’ll be available to download through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Games Store. You can learn more about “The One” at the game’s official website, and a second Walkthrough Trailer for the mode can be found after the break.

NBA Live 18 is currently in development for the PS4 and Xbox One, but no release date was announced. (more…)

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EA will announce at least two never-before-seen games during their 2017 E3 event

Posted on June 9, 2017 by John Scalzo

The 2017 E3 Expo will unofficially begin this weekend, when Electronic Arts opens the doors to “EA Play 2017,” their E3 Press Conference. EA Play 2017 will feature eight new titles, and it can be viewed online at EA.com or Twitch beginning on Saturday, June 10, at 3:00 PM (Eastern Time).

So what will EA talk about during their 90 minutes in the spotlight? In addition to a closer look at six previously-announced blockbusters, the publisher plans to unveil “more surprises,” including at least two never-before-seen projects. The six games currently confirmed for EA Play 2017 are:

EA Play 2017 Lineup

  • Star Wars: Battlefront II – Featuring all Star Wars eras, a single player campaign and epic scale multiplayer battles, Star Wars: Battlefront II presents the most robust Star Wars game to date. The game is developed in partnership with three powerhouse studios: DICE, Motive Studios and Criterion Games, each with a rich background of creating award-winning games.
  • FIFA 18 – Powered by Frostbite, FIFA 18 blurs the line between the virtual and real worlds, bringing to life the heroes, teams, and atmospheres of the world’s game.
  • Madden NFL 18 – With Frostbite, the spectacle of NFL gameday comes alive delivering photorealistic players, crowds and stadiums, and introduces an all-new mode to the Madden NFL franchise.
  • NBA Live 18 – Delivering gameplay innovations and a brand-new way to play with “The One,” NBA Live returns with an experience completely centered around a player’s individual journey.
  • Need For Speed Payback – This explosive adventure is filled with intense heist missions, high stakes car battles, epic cop pursuits and jaw dropping set pieces. It’s blockbuster gameplay never before seen from the series, fueled by a gripping story of betrayal and revenge. With Need for Speed Payback, it’s about building the perfect ride, getting behind the wheel and playing out an action driving fantasy.
  • Battlefield 1 – It’s a Summer of Battlefield including the entry of the Russian Army and the biggest front of WW1 in Battlefield 1: In the Name of the Tsar. Partake in the skirmishes of the Albion assault in a freezing archipelago and fight in the snow-covered ravines of the treacherous Lupkow Pass.

EA Play 2017 will be followed by a second livestream that includes further details about the all-new “Nivelle Nights” map in Battlefield 1 Need For Speed Payback, Madden NFL 18, FIFA 18, and Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.

If you’re going to be in Los Angeles for this weekend, you can attend the EA Play FanFest at the Hollywood Palladium to play any (or all) of games. More than 150 demo stations will be available, and tickets are free (but limited). You can learn more about how to attend the EA Play FanFest at the event’s official website.

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EA’s EA Play event at E3 2017 will include Star Wars: Battlefront 2, a new Need For Speed, FIFA 18, Madden NFL 18, and more

Posted on March 24, 2017 by John Scalzo

Electronic Arts has announced that they’ll once again play host to EA Play, their E3-adjacent mini-conference, in Los Angeles this June.

The publisher will take over the Hollywood Palladium from June 10th through the 12th, and tickets will go on sale at noon (Eastern Time) on April 20. EA also wants to connect to their fans who can’t make it to LA, and they’re planning to broadcast multiple live reports from the show floor at EA.com.

EA Play will give in-person attendees and viewers at home a first look at the publisher’s upcoming slate of games including Star Wars: Battlefront 2, Need For Speed 2017, Madden NFL 18, FIFA 18, and NBA Live 18.

And as you might have guessed, several surprise announcements are also being lined up for EA Play.

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